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| Cambodia's Angkor Wat Temple Complex-One of several we will be visiting |
We will be in Vietnam from October 15 until November 4. Our transportation from Vietnam to Cambodia is a little bit different. We'll be going by speedboat. According to the information we have received it's about a 4-5 hour ride along a small portion of the Mekong Delta. The Delta region is the area where the Mekong River ends it's 2,703 mile journey. Before reaching the delta it's waters pass through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. More than 17 million people make their homes along the river and delta, making a living off agriculture and fishing.
Phnom Penh is Cambodia's largest city (1.5 million) and the capital. As far as the entire country, its population is much smaller than Vietnam (16.6 million people compared to 94.5 million) and with just over 70,000 square miles of land it's just slightly over half as large.
During the Vietnam War the Cambodia government position was officially listed as neutral. However most experts considered them aligned with the communist forces of North Vietnam. They allowed their country to serve as a sanctuary and supply route for both troops and supplies. Many thousands of Cambodian citizens were caught in the crossfire and killed as the South Vietnamese and US forces bombed the supply routes.
After the war the country went through a very difficult period of instability. In 1975 the Khmer Rouge regime assumed power in a violent overthrow. Major cities such as Phnom Penh were all but deserted as citizens were marched to rural locations to work on various projects. They attempted to rebuild the agricultural model that was in place in the 11th century. Additionally, anything connected to the west such as modern medicine, libraries, and temples were destroyed. Schools were often turned into jails where torture, starvation and executions were common. Between 1975 and 1978 it is estimated that between two and three million (a quarter of the population) men, women and children were killed. Many of them lost their lives in what commonly became known as the "killing fields". A transition to more stable times slowly took place between 1978 and 1992. In 1993 the monarchy was restored.
While challenges remain, Cambodia has been trending in a positive direction on most indicators. In particular when it comes to reducing poverty, improving educational levels, enhanced agricultural techniques and economic development. Tourism is second only to textiles in revenue production. In 1993 it was estimated that there were just over 100,000 international tourists. Cambodia now plays host to over two million international visitors annually. We're looking forward to growing that number by two soon!
